Aprehend® is the trademark name of a natural biopesticide that has revolutionized the way to treat bed bugs. The active ingredient in Aprehend® Biopesticide contains the conidia (spores) of the fungal strain Bauveria bassiana. Mixed with the conidia are oils that keep the fungus dormant on the sprayed surface for up to three months.
When a bed bug intercepts the area treated with the conidia, the spores stick to the cuticle (insect skin) and, in 20 hours, begin to germinate much like a seed. The fungal spores penetrate the cuticle of the bed bug and gain access to the insect’s bloodstream. The fungus uses the blood as a food source to colonize the inside of the insect resulting in death. Once infected with the fungus, bed bugs die in 3 to 7 days.
Aprehend® is unique because of the potential for auto-dissemination of the infectious disease among the population. Once a bed bug comes into contact with the spores, it will carry the conidia back to the harborage and infect other bed bugs.
Aprehend® is applied to strategic areas where bed bugs are known to travel to find a blood meal. A low volume spray kit is used to apply Aprehend®. This unit leaves a 2” wide barrier around the bed, furniture, baseboards, edge of the ceiling, picture frames, and around electrical outlets.
Aprehend® kills all life stages of bed bugs except the eggs. The eggs take up to 10 days to hatch, so peak performance for this product is usually three weeks. During this time, it is possible to see some bed bugs crawling. However, a day or so after exposure to the fungus, the effects of Bauveria bassiana begin to take effect. During this time, bed bugs become erratic and stop biting before they succumb to the infectious disease.
